Cinnamon

Cinnamon is traditionally used as food and medicine in ancient Egypt and China. Its traditional usage is for healing wounds and as cold cure. Only recently it has been found out that it is effective in blood sugar control.

The active ingredients are water soluble polyphenol polymers which are unique with their possibility to increase the action of insulin due to their antioxidant properties. Research shows that cinnamon extract stimulates the insulin receptors and inhibits the enzymes which suppress their action. In this way the property of the cells to use glucose is elevated.

One study with 60 volunteers with diabetes type II concludes that the administration of 2g daily leads on the 20 day to 20% decrease of blood sugar and 29% after 40 days.

It is interesting that parallel with blood sugar decrease decreases the level of cholesterol and triglycerides by 26% and 30% respectively. This is explained with the strong antioxidant properties of cinnamon extract.